Employability and Modern Languages and Cultures degrees

Studying Modern Languages opens the door to a wide variety of careers. Many Bangor Modern Languages graduates have, of course, gone into teaching and translating, but just as many have embarked upon successful careers in the civil service, business and commerce, industry and the media. The skills you learn whilst studying languages – cultural awareness, communication, accuracy, planning and logical analysis – are valued highly by employers from all sectors of the economy.

Employability and Creative Studies and Media degrees

Creative Studies and Media courses offer a number of career paths for you to choose from once you graduate. They emphasise the importance of creative exploration, and actual university-level critical understanding. These things - the ability to be creatively adaptable, consider the tools at hand and apply creative thinking, the importance of innovation and a combination of practical and critical knowledge - make Creative Studies and Media graduates ideal employees or, indeed, creative entrepreneurs in their own businesses.

Creative Studies and Media courses have seen graduates involved in both academe and in industry, including work in:

Some have followed careers in teaching, lecturing, politics and public relations.

Opportunities at Bangor

The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. Developing your personal skills and enhancing your employability while at university is becoming increasingly important in today’s job market.

The Bangor Employability Award enables students to build on their transferable skills through the recognition of activities they become involved in during their university life. Students can gain points towards the award through extra-curricular activities such as volunteering, attending workshops or actively participating in the Students’ Union’s clubs and societies.

The HEAR is a final graduation report that all undergraduates receive. The report itemises all academic achievements and additional extra and co-curricular achievements. Academic achievements appear on the report automatically and students are able to note their eligible activities by using the online platform ‘My Employability Hub’. This ensures that future employers are made aware of the additional skills the student has gained outside of the curriculum.

The Award is open to everyone and taking part in the scheme can make a major difference to your performance in the graduate job market.

Internships

Bangor University runs undergraduate and postgraduate internship schemes twice a year, which allow students to work in a professional environment while learning relevant skills and earning money.

Internships offer valuable experience in a professional workplace and there are a range of internships you can get involved in.

Student Volunteering

Not only is volunteering worthwhile – it also improves your employability and widens your experience.

The Students’ Union has a dedicated Student Volunteering Office (SVB) which currently contributes a total of 600 hours each week, promoting a close relationship between the university and the local community. Find out more on the Student Volunteering pages of the Bangor Student’s Union website.

TARGETconnect - Working while you Study

The Skills and Employability Service offers support to students searching for employment during and after their studies.

General University entry requirements

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

To study a degree, diploma or certificate course you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com

We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more help and advice about being a mature student at Bangor, please visit the Study at Bangor site.

Specific entry requirements can be seen on the individual course pages.

EU and International students' entry requirements

For information and further detailed guidance on entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.

There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:

If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for guest tickets (£12 each).

Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:

Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.

Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.

Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.

When to apply?

We advise you to apply as early as you can as we will start considering applications and making offers straight away. The initial UCAS deadline for UK and EU students is 15 January, however we welcome applications after this date. Those received between 15 January and 30 June will continue to be forwarded to universities by UCAS and will receive consideration where places are still available.

Your Personal Statement

Writing your Personal Statement is the part of the application form that requires most work. You are only allowed 47 lines or 500–550 words to explain why you wish to study the course and the skills you have that are essential for university study.

To write a successful personal statement for your UCAS application you must have a good understanding about the course and its content. Remember that you write only one personal statement for your five choices. Make sure that the courses are similar, if not the same, and make sure that you do not mention a specific course or university.

Confused about your next steps?

Why study a Modern Languages and Cultures degree?

Modern Languages and Cultures at Bangor means learning on a human scale; we offer facilities equal or superior to those found in many larger universities, but in an environment where everybody – students and staff – gets to know each other quickly, and where there’s always someone to turn to. You are never “just a name” in our department.

Why Bangor?

Four of our students talk about why they chose to study at Bangor and their experiences whilst here.

My Year Abroad

Our students discuss their year abroad, preparation for it and the support they received.

Have a look at more videos and student profiles – or better still, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, where you will have the opportunity to speak to staff and students alike.

Why study a Creative Studies and Media degree?

Research and practice

Our courses combine elements of research and practice.

You have the opportunity to create and produce in all media fields under the supervision of staff that have many years of experience working in the media.

We have excellent links with theatre companies, newspapers and the television industry. BBC Wales’ television and radio centre is literally next-door, and there are many independent producers nearby.

Students will be able to take advantage of the new Pontio centre, which includes a theatre, a cinema, a design and innovation centre, and spacious lecture rooms.

Our students play a prominent role in many creative projects, such as Student Cut Films, two student newspapers – Seren and Llef – and a radio station, Storm FM.

Excellent Facilities

We have a dedicated Media Centre with with editing suites, production studios, and digital media equipment.

We also have a professionally equipped Radio studio with the latest digital equipment.

We have a large performance space, computer lighting system and digital sound for rehearsal and performance work.

We have a digital cinema with first-rate projection equipment and Dolby Surround Sound.

Our Staff

Our staff have many years of experience working in the media, so can offer students practical guidance

We have research active staff who are world-experts in their fields, providing advice to governments, corporations and NGOs

We're a close-knit department and give individual attention to our students to help their development

Studying at Bangor

Rated Gold for teaching

We have been awarded a Gold rating, the highest rating possible, for the standarad of our teaching in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment. The TEF assessment took into account teaching quality, learning environment and student outcomes and learning gain. We were judged to deliver consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for our students and our teaching is of the highest quality found in the UK.

A top 10 university

The National Student Survey (NSS) results place Bangor amongst the UK’s top 10 universities (excluding specialist institutions) for student satisfaction. This reflects the University’s focus on overall student experience.